One Last Time
Disclaimer: I don't own Beyblade.
Summary: A death hits the team, they all have to deal with it in their own way.
The reason I am writing this? Because I need to deal with it, my Grandmother has been in hospital for the past week and a half, she died this morning. This story is dedicated to her, and all those out there who have lost a loved one. I know what you are going through. Good bye Ouma, I love you.
"Talking"
'Thinking'
POV :Point of view change
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"I'm sorry boys, but he has passed away."
The sentence was like a cold draught, sobering the usually upbeat team. Kai looked up a look of sadness changing his usually blank expression, Ray patted the no longer smiling Max's back as he held back tears that refused to stay put, Kenny closed his laptop, his head drooping and Tyson stopped eating, the packet of crisps falling from his hand as a look of defeat came upon him. Who would have expected it? None of them, that's for sure. Who would have expected him to die? He certainly wasn't the type to just lay down and give in. The man who gave them the news flashed a comforting smile before quietly closing the door and leaving them, he left the five to their grief, but not without saying a last parting message, one he believed would be a comfort.
"He's gone to a better place."
Then he was gone. Five boys, ranging from late teens to mid teens, stared at each other. The silence was broken by a sniff from Ray, then everything happened at once. Kenny violently threw his laptop at the wall; Max slumped to the ground, almost taking Ray with him; Tyson ran out, a broken cry wrenching its way out before he could halt it. The door slammed shut; silence, so deafening and so painful, returned in an attempt to smother the remaining team mates.
Kai glanced at Kenny, his eyes then wondering to the second oldest member, the one he knew would help him. Ray looked up from where he was comforting Max, their eyes met and both nodded, each knowing where they were going. Ray led Max to the nearest couch, his voice calling Kenny to join them. Kai waited till he was sure Ray would be fine, then turned to follow the missing member, Tyson.
POV
Ray glanced slightly at the door as it closed. He knew Kai would be better equipped to handle Tyson. Ray would never admit it, but when angered Tyson was too much of a handful for the slender neko, but not for Kai. He on the other hand, was best suited for the two sitting with him.
"Why?"
The question caught him by surprise, though it was a question that was plaguing his own mind. Why him? Why now? Why them? Three questions that buzzed inside his skull, making it hurt more than the tears did. Death was no stranger to him, he was an orphan after all, but these two…they were young and naïve, too sheltered to understand that things like this sometimes just happened. He wouldn't tell them that though.
"He was old Max, it was his time. Perhaps it's best this way, he never has to worry about anything again, he'll be able to be free of everything. Sometimes life becomes too much for a person, and they feel it is time to let go, so they do, it's best that way, because if they stay it ends up hurting a lot more; for them and for others. That doesn't mean he's really gone, he'll still watch over us, no matter where we are. He's still our protector, no matter what happens."
"I never got to say good bye."
"You don't have to, he's still here, all you will be saying is that you will see him sometime."
Max nodded, blue eyes shining with tears. "I just wish it didn't happen, they said he would be coming out. He said he would be up soon enough."
Ray almost stopped then, it was true, and none of them thought he would die. Even Kai, who was the usual pessimist, had believed he would return. They had even booked a place for dinner to celebrate his release, but it meant nothing now. They would be cancelling the celebration, and replace it with a commemoration. It never ceased to surprise him how easily life could change. He gently hugged Max, letting the other cry his grief out on his shoulder. It was better that way, to let it out now, to not keep it in. at the end of this Max would begin to pass it, and return to his somewhat normal self, all it took was time.
"I think I'm going to lie down."
Ray nodded and watched as Max made his way to his room, he made a mental note to check on the younger boy later, he glanced at the still silent Kenny, much later. He got up and knelt in front of the other, hands gently covering the clenched fists. "It's okay Kenny, its okay to cry." Ray had less than a second to catch himself, before Kenny barrelled into him. Smaller hands, still balled into fists connected with his chest. He let the other punch; he sat quietly, hands soothingly rubbing the others back as punch after punch connected with his chest. He pulled him closer however when he felt the tears fall on his upper arms, the smaller body tensed and the fists opened to latch painfully on his shoulders as the boy they had so fondly called "the Chief" cried, screams followed, long heart broken cries that left Ray wanting to crawl into a corner himself and cry, but he couldn't, wouldn't, leave the younger boy to his grief. So he sat there, and let Kenny cry, scream, do what ever he wanted, till exhaustion stilled his movements and sleep numbed his heart.
POV
Kai walked up behind the figure on the hill. He had followed Tyson all the way, his mind whizzing to find what to say to the distraught boy. Like Ray, he knew his younger team mates would have problems coping, unlike Ray, he could not provide comfort; but perhaps he could try. He would have let Ray handle this all, whilst watching on the sidelines, but he knew from experience that Tyson was a danger when he was angry. He would ride out the hurricane and Ray would calm and soothe the remaining storm.
"Tyson."
No reply, he decided to change his tactics. Honesty was the best policy.
"It hurts, doesn't it." A statement, not a question, but Tyson answered none the less.
"I feel like my hearts being ripped in two..." He turned to face Kai, tears making jagged tracks across his cheeks. "Is it supposed to hurt so much?" Kai nodded, it hurt now, and it would hurt more when the time came, burying a person was always the hardest, it was the final plunge, the finality of watching the coffin being lowered was almost as painful as hearing of said loved ones death, even more so, because then you couldn't pretend it was a lie.
"Will it go away?" Kai stared hard at Tyson, trying to judge how much truth was right. He shook his head. "It will never go, it just fades. Then sometimes something happens to remind you of that person and you feel it, sometimes it's a happy pain, others it isn't." Tyson nodded, looking back over at the city, so peaceful, almost as if nothing had happened. "Was it like this for you?" Kai's head shot up, surprise written in his eyes, which Tyson couldn't see, and Kai was thankful for that. Kai was silent, eyes wandering over the lights within the city, his voice was quieter when it finally drifted to Tyson, as if Kai was barely there.
"It hurt, when my parents died. Their burial hurt too, but I learnt to live with it, sometimes even forget it. That's what being human is all about. Living, loving, losing and learning to carry on. As you grow older, things become dimmer. Memories of friends and family dwindle to only the happiest, you forget the pain and live in the joy of those memories." Tyson nodded, his gaze returning to the city.
"I'll miss Mr. D."
Kai nodded.
"So will I Tyson, so will I."
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"Where did those come from?"
Ray glanced down at his semi-bared torso. Bruises, both dark and light, littered his tanned chest. He shrugged. "Kenny was angry. It didn't hurt, besides he needed it." Kai just huffed and went to change, eyes darting to the other. Ray had been too quiet, too calm, he didn't like that. Everyone had their way of dealing with things. Max had cried till he fell asleep, which he was doing now, according to Ray, sleeping peacefully. Tyson had run from it, but dealt with it in the end, Kenny had taken a slightly more aggressive approach, but had broken down too. He himself had stayed after Tyson went back and cried, but Ray had yet to do anything since the news had arrived. He had sniffed, and cried a bit, but Kai had a feeling it hadn't sunk in, or maybe……he glanced at Ray, eyes narrowing…..he refused to believe it.
"You okay?"
Ray turned to face Kai, his movements' jerky. "I'm okay, just hurts you know." Kai nodded, going forward to give the other a hug. Ray had stiffened in surprise, eyes widening as Kai laid his head on his shoulder.
"He's gone Ray. It's okay to cry."
Silence reigned, Kai holding Ray and wondering when the other would let go. Before he started to pull away Ray sagged in his hold, falling to the ground and taking him with him. Kai held him as he knelt there, then pulled him even closer as the others grief engulfed him.
"NO!"
He winced at the scream, anguish and misery mixing with rage. He understood it all. Of all of them, Ray was the closest to Mr Dickinson. He had been the first to be found, and Mr D had helped him get to the team, more than even Kai knew. Ray was an orphan and Mr D had become his father, a father he now no longer had.
Kai glanced over Ray's head as two figures appeared in the doorway, Kai just shook his head and mouthed 'go' to Tyson and Kenny. The two nodded, Tyson leaving before Kenny reluctantly left.
"I just wish I could thank him, one last time." Kai was silent, that was all he could be. He waited a while before lifting the others head to look him in the eyes.
"You going to be okay?" The other shook his head. "Not now, maybe later, but not now." Kai nodded, understanding. Time healed everything, wounds, breaks, friendships, loves, but it couldn't always heal hurting hearts. He wouldn't tell Ray this though. Sometimes lies were better.
"It's going to be okay, everything's going to be okay."
THE END
I really have nothing to say now, thanks for reading this. Night.